Istanbul mayor convicted of insulting Turkish officials

Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu speaks to the media at Kocatepe Mosque, in Ankara. He has been to two years and seven months in prison on charges of insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council (Burhan Ozbilici/AP/PA)

A Turkish court on Wednesday sentenced the mayor of Istanbul — the country’s most populous city — to two years and seven months in prison on charges of insulting members of Turkey’s Supreme Electoral Council.

Critics say the trial is an attempt to remove Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who is a key opponent of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, from office. Turkey faces presidential elections next year.